Support our Local Community
Our past student, Raf Gonzalez, has started his own car detailing business called Kaizer Detailing.
Kaizer Detailing comes to you, is competitively priced and treats every car with the luxury they deserve.
Check out their work on Instagram.
kaizerdetailing
Please contact Raf on 0420 530 862 or via email: kaizerdetailing@gmail.com
Dear Epping Secondary College
Our beloved local youth centre, Innovation Youth Centre, is facing a dire situation. Without immediate financial support, it will have to close its doors and cease operation of its vital services.
This means over 500 struggling young people in the Whittlesea municipality will be left without support and a safe place to go to, as IYC is the only dedicated youth space in the City of Whittlesea.
IYC has been a beacon of hope for many young individuals in our community, offering free support services that have made an immeasurable difference in their lives.
The centre has provided them with a safe space where they can learn, grow and thrive amidst life's challenges.
However, due to lack of funds, this invaluable resource is on the brink of shutting down. It's heartbreaking that such an essential service could disappear from our community because we couldn't provide enough financial support as soon as March 1st, 2024.
We have been lobbying to all tiers of government, but we are still waiting for a response to confirm our funding beyond March 1st.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), youth centres like ours play a crucial role in reducing crime rates among young people by providing them with constructive activities and positive role models (ABS 2019). They also contribute significantly towards improving mental health outcomes and reducing crime rates amongst our youth population (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020).
According to the latest crime statistics from the Victoria Police, overall crime incidents by young people rose 3.2 per cent to 9198 in the year ending March 2023, from 8917 in 2022. Young people aged 10-24, make up 18.5% of the City of Whittlesea’s population (ABS, 2021). This highlights the great need for a youth centre that can address crime prevention, at no cost to young people or families.
We cannot afford to lose this essential service that benefits not only our youths but also contributes positively towards community safety and well-being. We need your help now more than ever.
We would like the opportunity to be interviewed to discuss our fight to keep IYC open to the public and address critical service gaps in the City of Whittlesea.
To arrange a meeting, please contact our director, Paul Papadatos, using the below contact information.
Paul Papadatos
Director
Innovation Youth Centre
Ph: 0415 559 333
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Working on Wurundjeri Land | Paul.Papadatos@iyc.org.au
"Innovation Youth Centre is an organization that works to create the best outcome for young people and the community by using innovation and youth participation working hand in hand"
